The woman who has been the face of Shorewood's Business Improvement District for the last six years is out as the district's marketing director.
Barb Caprile has headed downtown marketing efforts since 2005 and has played a key role in promoting events such as the Holiday Shopwalk, the Shorewood Showcase and the "Butterflies in Flight" public art project.
But the BID decided to not to renew her contract and will instead go with another Shorewood marketing company, P.K. Wheeler Communications, said Trustee Dawn Anderson, who is the village's representative on the BID board.
“The BID board (15 members) were unanimous in their decision to move in this direction regarding the marketing program and Caprile Marketing not being selected as the professional service provider,” BID Executive Director Jim Plaisted said in an e-mail to board members.
The board began looking at other companies in the fall and in December received 10 proposals from firms who wanted to spearhead the BID's marketing efforts.
P.K. Wheeler is expected to be awarded the marketing contract at the BID board's Jan. 26 meeting.
Plaisted declined to say why the board didn't renew Caprile's contract, however, Anderson noted it will be nice to have a marketing team working for the village rather than one person.
Tim Ryan, president of the BID board and owner of Harleys: The Store for Men, could not be reached for comment.
“The Shorewood Business Improvement District Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to thank Barb Caprile of Caprile Marketing/Design for her dedication, passion and service...as the BID’s marketing director,” Plaisted said in the e-mail.
Caprile will remain the editor of the Shorewood Today magazine, a quarterly publication distributed to all households in the village.
“I love my village and am grateful to be able to serve my community. I take great pride in the many accomplishments the Shorewood Business Improvement District achieved over the past six years,” Caprile said in an e-mail.
She declined to comment further on the board's decision. The BID contract for marketing requires renewal annually.
Shorewood Patch attempted to contact numerous downtown businesses to determine why the change was made and to get reaction to the decision.
Most of the business owners contacted either declined to comment or said they didn't have much interaction with Caprile.
"She was more big picture than helping the individual business," said Stone Creek Coffee Manager Jared Schmitt, one of the few who spoke on the record about Caprile.
